Danica Esra B.

Dolot (2SPED1)
Episode 1 The Schools as a Learning Environment My Analysis QUESTION: How do the school campus and the classroom in particular impact on the learning of the students going to school? What are your conclusions? 1) The school campus and the classroom play an important part on the learning process of the students mainly because the surrounding or the environment affects on how the child learns or process information. A child needs an environment that is able to meet all his/her needs and, at the same time, motivating and conducive that would make the child be eager to go to school every day to learn new things and lessons. Poor environment and lack of facilities inside the classroom may hinder the child from learning inside the school campus and classroom. My Reflections QUESTION: Would you like to teach in the school environment you just observed? Why? Why not? 1) Yes, I would like to teach in the school environment I have just observes. I have noticed that the school is quite clean even if there are no garbage cans, where you can put your trash; still, it is free from any litters. Inside the classroom, I liked the idea of having a semi-circle table wherein the teacher could easily watch over his/ her students. The classrooms were also well-ventilated, the only problem is, the noise coming from the vehicles passing by the school. Overall, the school was a nice place to teach the students. QUESTION: Write your additional learnings and insights here. 5) Ive learned that the classrooms were not just a typical public school classroom. They were modified depending upon the needs of the students. Unlike the classrooms in public schools, the rooms were not overcrowded wit students and there were sinks inside the classroom where the students could wash their hands before and after eating their snacks. The classroom was also painted with yellow that creates a cheerful and positive vibe inside the room. To sum it up, I gain a lot of learning and insights during the period of observing the students and the school environment where they learn.

My Portfolio My Personal Illustration of an Effective School Environment An effective school was environment should be always clear from litter and other garbage that may affect the health of the students. There would be a mini-garden or park where the students could play and interact with his/her classmates. The classrooms should be very well-ventilated and not overcrowded with students. There is a specific number of students per class. I would also require a restroom and sink in every classroom so the students could easily use it whenever they want to attend to their personal necessities. Facilities and necessary equipment should be also available to accommodate the needs of the students like ramps for CWDs and books in Braille system for kids who are visually impaired. In terms of security, there should be at least 2 security guards inside the campus. Lastly, the principals office should be easily recognized and should ne bear the classrooms so if accidents happen, the principal could immediately attend to it. Episode 2 The Learners Characteristics and Needs Development Domain Physical They already have a sense of balance. They could walk, run, jump and to activities that requires balance. Elementary ( Grade 4 students/ 10-11 years old)

Gross-motor skills

Fine-motor skills

They do not encounter any problems with regards to their fine-motor skills. They could write, draw and do some other stuff that requires the use of hand normally. Besides, their fine-motor skills are always used/manipulated because they use sign language. They could do things freely without asking for any assistance from other people.

Self-help skills Social

Interaction with Teachers

The students could communicate with their teacher using sign language. The teacher looks directly at a student to call his/her attention. The teacher also uses facial expressions and speaks while doing the sign language. They communicate with each other through sign language. I have noticed that before they would interact with their classmate, he or she would first tap the back of his classmate to call his or her attention

Interaction with classmates/friends

Interests

The students were more interested in studying Mathematics than Science. They were all excited when the teacher told them that after their discussion with digestive system in Science, they will proceed to Mathematics. The students were very willing to learn the lessons. Although, it is somewhat hard to sign language terms that are quite complicated, still, they were motivated to learn. If they commit mistakes, they do not feel bad/sad, instead, they laugh and try to correct their mistakes. Their feelings are shown in their facial expressions. The students can handle their feelings and emotions independently. They did not cry or feel bad when scolded by the teacher when they committed mistakes. The students could not communicate verbally; instead, they use their hands (sign language) in communicating.

Emotional

Moods and temperament, expression of feelings

Emotional independence Cognitive Communication Skills

Thinking Skills

The students may have poor thinking skills. They were able to sign language some terms but when asked by the teacher, they were not able to answer even if the answers were already written in the blackboard. We were not able to observe them during their class in Mathematics. We only stayed there for just an hour (Science time/period). Maybe, the students were good in solving math problems because they were all excited when the teacher announced that Math will be their next class after Science.

Problem-solving

My Analysis LEVEL Salient Characteristics Observed

Implications to the Teaching-Learning Process Therefore, the teacher must be very patient in teaching his/her students and should not expect that they will learn and remember the lessons immediately. Therefore, the teacher must start from the very basic up to the complex activities/lessons (task analysis)

The students somehow have Elementary poor thinking skills because (Grade 4 they find it hard to students/ remember their lessons even 10-11 years if they were studying the old) specific subject for almost 2 weeks. My Reflections

QUESTION: While you were observing the learners, did you recall your own experiences when you were their age? What similarities or differences do you have with the learners you observed? 1) I have recalled my own experiences during our observation, especially the lessons regarding the digestive system when I was in 4th Grade. The similarities between me and the learners I have observed was both of us were eager to learn the subject matter even if there are words/terms in science which are quite complex/complicated. Our differences would be I could easily communicate with my teacher because I can speak while for students I have observes (hearing impaired), they have difficulties in communicating with other people. They are studying how to sign language terms

related to the digestive system and, at the same time, interacting with their teacher through the use of sign language. QUESTION: Think of a teacher you cannot forget for positive or negative reasons. How did she/he help or not help you with your needs? How did it affect you? 2. I had an experience when I was in 4th Grade wherein the teacher made fun of me in front of the whole class after I have recited. And because of this experience, I've become too shy to speak in front of the class and to even recite even if I really know the answer. This experience of mine did not help my emotional and social skills. It lessened my self-esteem and has made me a shy person. QUESTION: Share you other insights here. 3. I've come to think that it's hard to teach students whom I have observed (hearing impaired). The teacher must be very patient and should be really an expert when it comes to sign language. He/she should not scold the student who cannot follow and should treat the students just and equally. During our observation, the teacher was shouting the whole time, mostly when the students could not follow her instruction. Shouting at the students would be of no use in the process of learning, she might as well talk to the students calmly and let the student learn from his/her mistakes. My Portfolio Which is your favorite theory of development? How can this guide you as a future teacher? Clip some readings about this theory and paste them here. Piaget's Theory of Development is my favorite theory because it focuses on the physical and cognitive skills/ domains of the students. By knowing the different stages under the said theory, the teacher would be familiar and will be able to differentiate/compare the skills of their students to the normal/actual development of skills. The teachers would know if the student is different from the normal kids because he/she is not able to do certain tasks that are expected for him/ her to do so at a specific age. The teacher could then give the appropriate/necessary measures and services to the students who are lagging behind the other students. Three Basic Components to Piaget's Theory: 1. Schemas 2. Processes that enable the transition from one stage to another 3. Stages of Development: Schemas

Piaget called the schema the basic building block of intelligent behavior a way of organizing knowledge. Indeed, it is useful to think of schemas as units of knowledge, each relating to one aspect of the world, including objects, actions and abstract (i.e. theoretical) concepts. Piaget emphasized the importance of schemas in cognitive development, and described how they were developed or acquired. A schema can be defined as a set of linked mental representations of the world, which we use both to understand and to respond to situations. The assumption is that we store these mental representations and apply them when needed. Assimilation and Accommodation Jean Piaget viewed intellectual growth as a process of adaptation (adjustment) to the world. This happens through:

Assimilation which is using an existing schema to deal with a new object or situation. Accommodation this happens when the existing schema (knowledge) does not work, and needs to be changed to deal with a new object or situation.

Equilibration this is the force, which moves development along. Piaget beloved that cognitive development did not progress at a steady rate, but rather in leaps and bounds. Equilibrium is occurs when a child's schemas can deal with most new information through assimilation. However, an unpleasant state of disequilibrium occurs when new information cannot be fitted into existing schemas (assimilation).

Stages of Development Cognitive Stage of Development Sensorimotor 0 - 2 yrs. Preoperational 2 - 7 yrs. Concrete Operational 7 11 yrs. Formal Operational 11yrs + Manipulate ideas in head, e.g. Abstract Reasoning Pendulum Task Conservation Conservation of Number Egocentrism Three Mountains Key Feature Object Permanence Research Study Blanket & Ball Study

Episode 3 - Classroom management and Learning My Analysis QUESTION: How did the classroom organization and routines affect the learners behavior? 1. The students knew that the teacher could easily see what they were doing because of their seating arrangement; hence, they behaved properly. The students were arranged in a semi-circle way/position. In terms of classroom rules, posters of proper etiquette and behavior were posted on the walls/bulletin board. The teacher also scolded or reprimanded the students whenever they did something wrong. To sum it up, because of the classroom organization and routines, the learners behaved properly while we were observing. QUESTION: Which behavior strategies were effective in managing the behavior of the learners? in motivating students? Why were they effective? 3. During our observation, I have noticed that the teacher told the students that they will be brought to the principal's office if the student is not behaving properly and not following her instructions. I guessed this is the strategy of the teacher, to scare the students so they will act properly. For me, her strategy was not motivating at all. These could affect the self esteem of the students and may discourage the students to learn. There are other behavior strategies that a teacher could use in managing her students, one of which is reinforcement of positive behavior, instead of pinpointing the mistakes of the student, the teacher could appraise the good deeds his/her students had done/made. My Reflections QUESTION: Imagine yourself organizing your classroom in the future. In what grade/year level do you see yourself? What routines and procedures would you consider for this level? Why? 1. I would probably teach kindergarten students in the future. I would praise/reinforce the good acts/things that a certain student has done and would talk to my student privately if he or she has done something wrong, instead of scolding her/him in front of the whole class. When it comes to class routines, as a Thomasian, I would always start and end our discussion with a prayer. Moreover, I would impart to them the values and proper manners/etiquette because I believe that a student who knows the values could apply it in his/her day-to-day life making him/her not just a good learner but also a better person. Episode 4 - Individual Differences and Learner's Interaction

My Analysis QUESTION: Identify the persons who play key roles in the relationships and interactions in the classrooms. What roles do they play? Is there somebody who appears to be the leader, a mascot/joker, an attention seeker, a little teacher, a doubter/pessimist? 1. Inside the classroom, the teacher and students played key roles in the relationships and interactions. There was a boy, who for me, appears to be the mascot/joker inside the classroom. He would just laugh at his mistakes whenever he committed one and would joke around in sign language. There was also a girl who is able to pronounce or utter some words, but not clearly. QUESTION: How does the teacher influence the class interaction considering the individual differences of the students? 2. The teacher influences the class interaction among students who were different from each other by noticing their talents/skills. In the case of the boy who likes to joke around, the teacher would tell the class that they have a classmate who is really a funny mascot/joker. The teacher also instructed the girl who can utter some words to speak while doing the sign language. In this way, the kid would know that although they are not capable of speaking verbally, still they have special talents and abilities individually. QUESTION: What factors influence the grouping of learners outside the classroom? 4. I really do not know how the students group themselves outside the classroom. We weren't able to observe their behaviors outside their classrooms. My Reflections QUESTION: In the future, how would you want the learners in your classroom to interact? How will you make this happen? 2. I would want my student to actively participate during my discussion. My students should always respect the one who is talking in front as well as respect the answers or opinions given/stated by their classmates. I would make this happen by being a role model to my students/learners. Episode 5 - Individual Differences and Learner's Interaction My Analysis QUESTION: Describe the differences in ability levels of the students in the class. Is there a wide gap between the students who are performing well and those that are not?

2. There was a student who was having a hard time in sign language. The teacher scolded him and told him that he would be brought to the principals office if he would not listen and follow her. Other students do not encounter any problems in sign languages but when some of the students were asked by the teacher, they were not able to answer even if the answer was already written in the blackboard. The teacher got a bit frustrated with her students because she was already spoon feeding her lessons to her students, still they could not answer a very simple question. There is a wide gap between students who are performing well from those who are not.